Joining Up

Heroes Remember

Joining Up

Transcript

Interviewer: So, you would have been in your early teens, in around ten and early teens, during World War II...Yeah. Interviewer: Do you remember much about what it was like for back here in the home front during World War II? Were people following? What was it like during World War II? Well, people talked about it an awful lot. Like, I can remember when I was a kid, people were talking about, about the war and it, it seemed to stick with us a whole lot more, than what it does with kids today. You know, like you can talk about it today and it just seems to be something that just goes over top of their head, really. Where us, we kind of took it in and, and realized what war was about. And that's part of the reason that I, maybe joined the forces, to take part in whatever I could, and do my part, if I could. Interviewer: Well, tell me more about that. You were thinking about joining the forces when you did. Tell me more about how you, what you were thinking when you, when you joined up. Well, I had a brother that was in the army at the time and he seemed that, that he seemed to be okay and, and it was something that he wanted to do. And so, I had been talking to him a few times and, and he said, "Did ya ever think of wanting to join the army?" And I said, "I'd thought of it, you know, in, in my mind more than once." I was ploughing in a field. I, I was a little later joining, like than, than some of the ones that joined, say in, in August, September. I didn't join until later in October. I was thinking I wouldn't. I was out ploughing in the field one day. I had an old tractor and I was ploughing, and I thought, why am I doing this? What am I doing it for? I got nothing to gain out of this farm. I was working for somebody else. I got nothing to gain, I said . . . Parked the tractor in the corner of the field and said, the hell with this, jumped the fence and joined the army. Interviewer: Okay, well, tell me about that. You, you showed up at the enlistment station I imagine and... Yeah. Interviewer: Tell me all about what happened. Well they, they asked me what I would, wanted to do, and I said I'd like to join the army. And they said why. I said "Well, I thought maybe I could do my part for Canada, if I was a . . ." So, that's what I did.

Description

Mr. Gowing attributes part of his ambition to serve Canada, to his learning of war as a child. He then describes how he left his job in the middle of work in order to enlist.

Gerald Edward Gowing

Mr. Gowing was born in 1931 in Listowel, Ontario. At the age of nine, Mr. Gowing was taken in by the Stratford division of the Children's Aid Society because his mother had passed away and his father was unable to take care of him. Looking for adventure, and to take part in something with purpose, Mr. Gowing joined the army in October 1950, requesting to serve in Korea. Sent to Calgary, Alberta, for basic training at the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) barracks, he was only there a few weeks before shipping overseas in January 1951 as reinforcement Bren gunner for the 2nd Battalion PPCLI. Mr. Gowing saw heavy action in Korea, including the Battle at Kapyong (Hill 677) for which the entire battalion was later presented with a Presidential Citation medal, the highest award granted by the United States, outside of the US. Reluctant to return to Canada, Mr. Gowing left Korea in May 1952, after his tour had ended. He left the military in November of 1952, but returned in November of 1955, to serve as a signaller for three years before being discharged for good.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:: 03:19
Person Interviewed:: Gerald Edward Gowing
War, Conflict or Mission:: Korean War
Location/Theatre:: Canada
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry
Rank:: Private
Occupation:: Bren Gunner

Related Videos

Bren Gun

Mr. Gowing describes the attributes of the Bren Gun.

Under Fire

Mr. Gowing recalls what it was like to be under fire in Korea. He describes taking cover from shells and grenades being rolled down hills, liking it to hell.

Jumpy Nerves

Mr. Gowing describes how although memories don't actually haunt him, events can trigger flashback type memories. He then describes how his jumpy post-war nerves made him a dangerous man to wake up, and recalls how he reacted to a firecracker thrown at his feet weeks after returning from Korea.

Fighting For and Losing Friends

Mr. Gowing describes how the largest motivation on the front line was to protect your friends and comrades, who were doing the same for you. He then describes how hard it was to see friends die.

Waves of Screaming Enemy

Mr. Gowing recalls how the North Korean and Chinese forces would attack in waves, sending thousands of troops against 40 - 50 Canadian soldiers.

Ambush

Mr. Gowing recalls what it was like to be ambushed, describing running into North Korean soldiers in disguise, and being ambushed in a cornfield.

Communism Stopped, War Not Ended

Mr. Gowing discusses the pushing toward the Chinese border, only to fall back and voices his discouragement with how the war ended with Korea; divided the same way it had been in the beginning.

Date modified:: 2019-04-03